100 young ballet dancers needed for production of Giselle at Aylesbury Waterside

At the audition 100 young male and female dancers (aged 8 – 18) from across the region will be offered the chance to join English Youth Ballet to rehearse with and then dance alongside international professional principal dancers in the production for 3 performances to be presented at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from 3 – 4 April 2020.

Award-winning English Youth Ballet (known as EYB) is now in its 22nd successful year and is one of the largest ballet companies in the UK.

EYB is a national touring ballet company with Director - Janet Lewis MBE at its helm.

Miss Lewis enjoyed an illustrious dancing career with the Royal Ballet Company and London Festival Ballet dancing alongside such greats as Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev.

The company consists of a core team of 8 international principal dancers, 2 artistic ballet staff, 2 wardrobe mistresses and 4 theatre technicians.

The principal dancers have danced in some of the world’s greatest companies including English National Ballet, La Scala and the Boston Ballet. EYB is highly regarded for presenting lavish, large-scale classical ballets and critics have praised the quality of the beautiful sets and costumes.

EYB Director – Janet Lewis says: “The EYB audition is an experience in itself.

"EYB is all about performance experience and this starts at the audition as the dancers are given a regular ballet class with parents and family encouraged to watch. We are looking for young dancers of all abilities who can show the audience how much they enjoy their dancing."

"The policy of EYB is to give professional performance experience to young dancers in beautiful venues close to where they live.

"The young dancers benefit from being coached and mentored by the professional dancers in an 11-day rehearsal period which takes place out of school hours.

"They gain an unique insight into what it is like to be a professional dancer. Young dancers have said “EYB is the best thing I have ever done”.

"Parents have said “it is lovely to see my daughter gaining in confidence.” Teachers have said “EYB inspires young dancers and you notice something different about them in class when they return.”

Each audition will take the form of a regular ballet class but it will take place on the stage.

Dancers will find out on the day if they are successful.

It is advisable to register for the audition in advance but it is possible to register on the day (please arrive 30 minutes early to register).

The audition fee is £18.00 and all dancers participate in a full ballet class. Parents are invited to watch the audition from the auditorium.

Auditions will be held on Monday 26th November at: Waterside Theatre, Exchange St, Aylesbury HP20 1UG.

4.30 – 6.15pm Audition 1 (for dancers aged 8 – 11)

6.45– 8.30pm Audition 2 (for dancers aged 12 – 18)

For more information and to register for the audition please contact Miss Lewis either by telephone – 01689 856747 or by email – [email protected]. For more information about English Youth Ballet please visit www.englishyouthballet.co.uk.